Parents' Guide to

Fallen Angels

By Monica Wyatt, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

A violent but unvarnished portrayal of the war in Vietnam.

Book Walter Dean Myers Historical Fiction 1988
Fallen Angels Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 16+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Copperman34956
Copperman34956 Adult
February 3, 2016
age 18+

CURSE WORDS AND SUGGESTIVE THEMES

If you would actually take the time to read this book! So much profanity! Many nasty remarks on women. Hate. Use of alcohol and drugs. Please check what it is that your child is reading.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
BreannBeatty
BreannBeatty Adult
March 1, 2013
age 17+

Did like it a first!! But know its good

when I read this book it was good. IT not for kids because it has bad words and a lot of blowing up. how ever for 17 and up it is a ver good book. At first i did like the book bcasue it was about war but when getting closer to the end it got better. The solders have good realtionship because they fought together. this book has a very good thing to it some part are bad but its good. You should read it!!!!!!!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Richie, an 18-year-old African-American kid from Harlem, joins the army and is sent to Vietnam in 1967. There, he bonds with the other soldiers in his small squad and watches as some of them die. Richie wonders if he'll live through the year as he participates in the growing violence of the war.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (19 ):

Reading FALLEN ANGELS can be an intense experience, one that even reluctant readers may appreciate. This highly realistic depiction of young soldiers fighting the ground war in Vietnam was one of the first books to illuminate that war for young people. Today's adolescents, who were born after the Vietnam War, may not know much about it -- but that's OK because this book focuses on the experiences of the soldiers, not on the history of the war. Myers has the ability to make readers care about his characters and see them as real human beings. Ultimately, this is a vivid and unvarnished portrayal of the war in Vietnam.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the Vietnam War. Did you know anything about the Vietnam War before you read this book? Why is it important to read about events that happened before you were even born?

  • Richie sees that African-American soldiers are often put in the most dangerous situations. Do you think that is still true today? Why are so many of our soldiers fighting in today's wars from minority backgrounds? Is that fair?

Book Details

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